Parental Intervention
by Moonsetta
Summary: When a Justice League meeting keeps Bruce from attending Dick Grayson's final soccer game of the summer Doctor Leslie Thompkins and Butler Alfred Pennyworth decide it is up to them to get their charge to his son's game and to teach the Justice League a lesson!
1. Parental Intervention

**Title: **Parental Intervention

**Author:** Moonsetta

**Date:** November 24th, 2013

**A/N:** Just a little plot bunny. Enjoy it, shoot it, cook it over a fire, stuff it or bury it in the ground I don't care. I'm ill and bedridden so there's not much else to do but type up stuff. I tell you though the hardest part was coming up with a title for this!

* * *

"_You need to be at this meeting! That's final!"_

Batman sighed and turned around to stare across the expanse of the Batcave he called his HQ. Today. It had to be today? Of all days? He could go to a JLA meeting tomorrow. Heck he could have gone yesterday! But no-they want him there today! All day! Seriously, did no one in the League ever pick up a computer and find out how it worked? Why was that up to him all the time? Superman could get his big blue boy scout but in gear and memorize a few lines of code! It's not like it would hurt him!

"Master Bruce?"

The Dark Knight reached up to pull back the cowl that hid his features before turning to the stout figure now standing in the doorway of the elevator.

"Yes Alfred?"

"It is time, we're leaving."

"Where is-" Bruce began, his words cutting off as his eyes scanned the empty space beside and behind the Wayne butler.

"Waiting in the foyer, sir. He didn't wish to interrupt you if you were engaged with anything for the League."

Bruce Wayne sighed as he climbed up onto his feet, "I'm going to kill them."

"You do that, sir."

The two men entered the elevator and surprisingly the butler didn't so much as lift an eyebrow at the fact that his master was entering the upstairs with his costume on, which was something he NEVER allowed. Yet today, because of the situation he would allow it and he had closed all of the blinds and curtains anyways so a trip upstairs for Batman should be safe at the moment.

Exiting out of the elevator and into the Master's study, Alfred allowed himself to frown. Of all days! Today! He was in the same mind as his charge. The butler fell into a slower step behind Bruce and spent the time thinking. They both stepped out and began walking down the hallway towards the front foyer as he let his brain plan. If the other members of the League would just-

"I plan on going out when I get back this evening, have the car refueled Alfred."

The billionaire had said it so quietly that Alfred was uncertain if it was an order or a request but either way-it was his job.

"Of course Master Bruce. Should I tell the boy?"

"No, he'll be tired after his game. Let him sleep. In fact, tell him he can sleep in tomorrow. I'll need time to wrap up a few cases."

"Very well sir."

Even though Alfred Pennyworth knew the real reason behind the statements.

_Keep the boy busy while I take out my anger against the JLA on the criminal scum of this city!_

They both reached the end of the main hallway where Alfred stopped his forward advance so the billionaire could confront the boy standing by the door. Young Dick Grayson was shifting from foot to foot, facing the doorway. His frame was decked out in a white and light blue jersey with white socks peeking out from his black cleats. He had a small dark blue duffel bag thrown over his right shoulder and he was sipping at a carton of apple juice in his left hand.

"Dick?"

The boy turned, his onyx hair bouncing against the crown of his head as his light blue eyes widened slightly at the sight of his guardian standing before him already suited up to leave for his meeting with the League.

"Bruce, what are you doing here? I mean, I don't mean that rudely but shouldn't you already be at the meeting?"

"Yeah, I should. They'll probably yell at me for being late."

"Then you should hurry, I don't want you to get in more trouble," the young boy said as his face fell.

Yeah, the League hadn't taken 'Robin' very favorably but-

"Hey," Bruce said, dropping to one knee to reach out and grasp the boy by his shoulders, "I've told you, don't worry about what they say. They don't understand or even know the circumstances."

"Yeah, but I still don't like them yelling at you."

"Let me worry about them. You just enjoy your game today."

That's when the sad silence made the billionaire frown.

"I wish I could be there today," Bruce said sadly and softly, reaching up with one hand to slightly ruffle the child's hair.

The gesture made Dick smile, which he very visibly fought to keep on his face.

"It's OK. The League's busy saving the world and they need you there."

The billionaire reluctantly nodded and let his hands drop from the boy's shoulder and head before he forced a smile onto his own face.

Today. He would today.

Batman. The World's Greatest Detective. The Dark Knight.

He spread his arms out in invitation which DID make the boy smile. In less than a millisecond the little acrobat was inside his hug, his small arms tightening around the billionaire's neck.

"Don't worry, we'll win. I'll bring home the championship trophy to show you."

"I'm sure you will. I'll be looking forward to it tomorrow morning. I'll see you at breakfast."

"Time to go Master Dick."

The two huggers pulled apart to align their gaze towards the kitchen doorway. Bruce was glancing back at the hallway curiously though. Hadn't Alfred been standing over there? The Dark Knight just sighed and shrugged. He could never understand Alfred Pennyworth anyways.

"OK Alfred."

The butler walked up and rested a hand on the boy's back to turn him towards the door. He nodded to the billionaire who stepped back into the shadows of the hallway for the two to open the door and leave.

Resigned to consequence, Bruce Wayne pulled his cowl back on as the front door closed. Everything would be fine though! Alfred was actually going to swing by and pick up Leslie. The two would be wonderful support for Dick at his soccer game and Bruce had advised that the three go out to dinner afterwards. They would all have a great time!

Then why was he miserable?

He blamed his meeting and sure enough, as soon as Batman was back down in the cave his JLA line was going off with the message of his tardiness. Sigh, he was on his way!

* * *

"Where have you been?" Wonder Woman demanded, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Busy!" Batman barked as he walked around the Amazon to enter the meeting room where the remainder of the League sat.

He was getting some glares. That was true. At this point the entire world knew about Robin and there were major debates about the Morality and Justice of training a child as a vigilante. Thankfully, he was Batman and he didn't care about other people's opinions-especially not the Justice League's opinions! Though, the hostility did make the meetings awkward. Of course, considering the others were the ones throwing around the hostility they were the ones with the problems-not him.

"Nice of you to join us, Batman."

Superman was being obtusely kind, even if it was a front for the whole situation.

He couldn't blame the kryptonian really. He was the visible leader of the League and almost every member of the League was pressuring him to do something about 'Robin' but at the same time he thought of himself as a close friend of the Dark Knight. He was really stuck so Batman couldn't blame him entirely for his protests. He was just doing his job. He didn't hold that against him for that.

Time to spend a day looking over coding, prepping memos, rewiring circuits, replacing fuses, repairing panels and refitting boards. Hoo-ray!

"Alright now the investigation in Syria…"

He SHOULD be at his son's soccer game. Sure villains like Mr. Freeze, Catwoman and the Joker had kept him from a fair number of the games. He had actually taken great joy in breaking Freeze's face for making him miss all but ten minutes of Dick's first soccer game. Now it was the end of the season championship game, and he had a stupid meeting because other heroes couldn't learn to keep their noses out of his business! And, couldn't figure out how to run a computer.

Green Arrow, obviously. Obviously Oliver could be doing this! Or maybe Martian Manhunter, he was certainly smart enough.

He hoped Dick was having a good time.

* * *

Dick Grayson took a deep breath and then shot forward.

_Boom!_

"And it's a goal!" someone shouted in the background.

The nine year old child smiled and jogged to the side of the field to retrieve his water bottle from the side of his duffel bag. Taking in a drink, his eyes scanned the field, the opposing team, his team and the audience in the stands. Hey wait! Where was Alfred and Les-?

A hand on his shoulder made him almost choke on the water. Thankfully he recognized the touch as the elderly butler before he could drop the water and attempt to judo flip him. Boy would that have been awkward! Dick turned and he smiled at the sight of the two elderly adults who had been cheering him on.

"Yes Alfred, Leslie?"

How Dr. Leslie Thompkins had gotten a free afternoon and evening to come to his game he didn't know but he wasn't going to complain. It was so nice to have people that cared again. If only Bruce could-but no he was busy saving the world with the Justice League and that was much more important than a soccer game. Besides, Alfred and Leslie had set up a camera at the side of the field. They promised to record the whole game to show Bruce later that night. The Dark Knight wouldn't be home until midnight so Dick would unfortunately already be in bed but as Bruce had said, they'd see each other at breakfast.

"We just wanted to say good job," Alfred said with a smile.

That's when Leslie frowned, "Unfortunately something's come up."

"Oh," the boy's face fell but he forced a smile on his face.

"You need not worry Master Dick, there's someone else here to cheer you on."

"Huh?" the boy asked, tilting his head that caused the light of the summer season to reflect off of the blue of his eyes.

Leslie had to bite back the urge to scoop the boy up into a hug because he was too cute!

Alfred motioned to the stands where ANOTHER familiar face waved down at the trio.

"Commissioner Gordon!" Dick shouted, waving his arms at the Dynamic Duo's greatest ally.

"We won't be more than ten minutes Master Dick. I have to go make the reservations for dinner tonight."

"And I have to go pick something up at the pharmacy a few blocks down," Leslie interjected.

"We'll return promptly I assure you," Alfred promised, ruffling the boy's hair.

Ah! Why was that so much fun?

"OK, but don't be too long."

"Play your best."

* * *

Behind Joe's Family Diner Alfred Pennyworth and Leslie Thompkins were opening two small aluminum suitcases.

"I don't know. You think I'm ready Alfred?"

"Of course you are. There will be no need to act; our normal views and attitudes will suffice."

Alfred and Leslie both assured the area was clear before slipping into the back hallway of the diner. Sure the place was closed and they had had to pick the lock but soon they were both entering the diner's bathrooms. Two minutes later both stepped out, mission ready.

Alfred Pennyworth was dressed in black military boots, black professionally pressed pants, and a black long sleeved jacket. A black domino mask hid his eyes, a rounded dark gray hat topped his head and two dart guns were holstered beneath the folds of his jacket. Sure it was more an outfit for Gotham's colder autumn or winter months but he had thinned and altered the material to be more breathable. Besides, this would NOT take very long.

Across the hallway seconds later, Leslie Thompkins stepped out. Her outfit consisted of black wedged heeled shoes, knee length gray leggings, a black knee-length skirt, a light blue collared shirt all covered with a knee length doctor's coat. Thin light blue gloves covered her hands; her hair was tied up in a bun and a black swirled masquerade mask hid her eyes. Many syringes were hidden in pockets and straps beneath the folds of her jacket.

"So, we're ready?"

"Yes."

They both quickly exited Joe's Family Diner, locked the door back and headed for where Alfred had parked the car at the end of the alleyway that bent behind the building. It was a short, leisurely drive to Gotham City's nearest transporter to the Watch Tower and the two elders were ready. Today would be a great day.

The area was thankfully clear as the duo exited the vehicle, both standing before the old broken down wood shed hidden behind an abandoned cupcake factory.

"Ladies first," the masked butler said, motioning to the closed door with a slight bow.

"You just want to scare them."

"…perhaps."

The masked doctor chuckled before stepping forward into the closed space. The hidden scanner let out a buzz much like an annoying fly and revealed a hidden keypad inside a back shelf.

She smirked and typed: 20 08 15 13 16 11 09 14 19

Shaded plates came down around her and a light filled the air as she ran her fingertips along the side of her mask to lower the second tinted lenses to protect her eyes from the light.

When she felt the slight heat from the lights fade, she lifted her fingertips along her mask again to dispel the shaded lenses. When her vision was clear she walked forwards and met many pairs of stunned eyes.

"Hello there, Justice League."

_Down below back on earth, the black clothed butler looked at his watch. He would give her a full half a minute advance._

Everyone was so startled by the mysterious visitor that no one saw Bruce's jaw drop open. Superman activated his x-ray vision but the mask was lead lined. This had to have something to do with Batman. By the time he had turned back towards his friend, the World's Greatest Detective had righted and hardened his features. OK inside half of him was curious and the other half was panicking. Obviously something was wrong!

Was something wrong with Dick?

Was something wrong with Alfred?

Was something wrong with both of them?

Were they hurt?

Was she not able to call him?

Did something happen at his son's soccer game?

Was it Mr. Freeze?

Was it Scarecrow?

The Penguin?

What had happened to Dick and Alfred?

How many people was he going to bury!

"Um, hello Mam. I'm Superman," the Man of Steel said, floating over and smiling unsure as he extended a hand in greeting.

Their visitor smirked in a way that scared most of the group stiff as she reached out and slid her gloved hand into the kryptonian's, "Doctor L, it's a pleasure."

Another light suddenly took up the area behind the two greeting one another before another visitor was standing before them. An elderly man with very strait posture and stiff countenance appeared before them.

"You said you'd wait a minute," the newly revealed Doctor L said with a mocking smile.

"I did. A very elated half a minute."

"Um, hello sir?" Superman asked with confused eyes, choosing not to use his x-ray vision since he was certain that the man's mask was probably lead lined too.

"Good day, Superman. I've heard much about you."

Batman was now on his feet. Why were Leslie and Alfred here in costume? Was it-it had to be Dick! What was wrong? What had happened?

Both elders looked over at the Dark Knight and frowned. It had to come to this? Batman got the cue though.

"Doctor L, Agent A, what's wrong?"

"You know these two?" Flash yelped, jumping up onto his feet.

"Don't worry Batman," Doctor L said, dropping Superman's hand and walking across the room to stand in front of the Dark Knight, "I assure you he's fine. Enjoying a half time break."

"Batman? Who are these two?" Wonder Woman asked, her heart speeding up a bit.

Um, they weren't dangerous were they?

"Only if you annoy us," the named Agent A said seemingly able to read the minds around him before he made his way around the Man of Steel to transverse the length of the room and stand by his companion's side.

"Then what's wrong?" Batman asked.

"What's wrong Young Man, is that you're here while you should be at Yeven Park supporting your son during his soccer game," Agent A said.

"Who are you two?" Hal Jordon said, standing up and fisting his hand to aim his ring at the duo.

In a proverbial flash there was a vibration against his ring causing his hand to be knocked back and open, a _ding _and then his ring was pinned by a needle to the table in front of him.

Everyone was staring at the newly arrived duo in shock. Doctor L had a syringe in her hand and Agent A had drawn a dart gun from his coat.

"Do not test us juvenile," Doctor L growled as she held out her hand which the needle pinning lantern's ring flew into.

Agent A did the same to retract the dart that had caused the vibration against the ring, "Do not point sir, it is very rude."

"Batman, who are they?" Green Arrow asked, being the one to finally walk over and lay a hand on the Dark Knight's shoulder.

Batman froze for a moment before lifting his eyes to the duo in front of him, "They're…my parents."

Yeah. Yeah that worked and it wasn't necessarily a lie. Both had raised him and he always suspected that his father-figure was sweet on the doctor.

"WHAT?"

OK, that unison scream was WAY louder than it needed to be!

"Yes, and there's your 9 year-old son down there having a soccer game that you need to be present at," Doctor L said, crossing her arms across her chest as she glared at the man before her.

"Hey, we're in a meeting here and-"

Whatever protest Aquaman was going to put forth was silenced as a dart embedded itself in his shoulder. He took one breath before he seemed to choke and then…he couldn't speak!

"Protel Fallamite, it'll wear off in a few minutes," Agent A said, re-holstering his dart gun beneath his coat.

"Come on!" the elderly woman said, grabbing the Dark Knight by the arm and steering him towards the teleporter, "Agent A, please finish up here?"

"My pleasure."

"Hey you can't take him-" but Superman's protest was short lived when he found Agent A's dart leveled at his chest.

Why did he feel woozy all of a sudden?

"Do not think me so ill prepared that I came here without red sun radiation, magic and/or kryptonite," Agent A said, "I believe Batman reported that he would be busy today. That is true. He is too busy to attend this meeting."

Two flashes of light followed the dark clothed man's statement and he smirked, "We'll be busy for the remainder of the day. You may call on him tomorrow at noon. Any earlier and you will find both Doctor L and I here once again! Do you understand me?"

"Y-yes!"

"Very good. I hope I need not return again."

A few footsteps, another flash of light and Agent A was gone after his family.

That's when an internal door slid open and Martian Manhunter entered the room. He scanned every one of the stunned heroes before doing a mock gesture he had picked up from the humans. If he had an eyebrow it would be raised.

"What has happened here?"

"We're…not…sure," Wonder Woman said as she was one of the few who could still talk.

* * *

Dick Grayson took three deep breaths. That had been a 30 yard run. Normally it wouldn't be a problem, especially since as 'The Boy Wonder' he had to run the equivalent of three football fields without losing his breath. It had taken awhile to get to the point but he had been successful after a few weeks of running sets and deep breathing exercises. Unfortunately, he'd been running, dribbling, stealing and shooting for a few hours. His team needed one more goal and there was a whopping 0:30 left on the clock.

Eyes on the net at the nearest end of the field and he was ready.

The umpire's whistle and he was off!

Dribbling, dodging, back kick, twist, turn, forward path clear, dash, bounce with heel, throw his body to the side and-

_BAM!_

"Northtide Eagles Win!"

The crowd erupted. That was it! That was the championship!

Before the young boy knew it his team was around him and lifting him into the air in celebration and also before he knew it he was screaming along with them in joy. Even if Bruce hadn't been here, it was great!

Glancing up at the bleachers he found Alfred, Leslie and James Gordon still sitting where they had been for the last half of the game though the Commissioner had somehow gotten a bag of popcorn. Oh well!

The umpire reached the winning team just as they put Dick down so he thankfully handed the large gold trophy over to the boy who had made the winning goal.

How great was this day?

In moments every child had a medal around their necks and were running for their parents' sides to show off the awards. Dick did the same as Alfred, Leslie and Gordon made their way down the bleachers and to the side of the hugging crowd. He ran to the three and engulfed each in the biggest hugs he could muster out of his small body.

"Great job kid," the commissioner said, reaching out to pat the boy on his back.

"Thanks Commissioner!"

"Now Master Dick, why don't you let Dr. Thompkins hang on to that trophy while you go fetch the video camera?"

"Oh right!" Dick said, handing over the trophy to Leslie and sprinting around the crowd for the video camera.

He was faster than the three adults and he didn't want some excited someone knocking the camera over. Of course as he neared the camera he froze at the one standing beside the camera.

"That was a nice move Dick."

"BRUCE!" the boy shouted and shot off like a rocket at his foster fathers gut.

He hadn't needed to aim high because in a split second Bruce had his boy up and in his arms.

"I'm so proud of you."

"You're here! How long have you-" but the boy was out of breath.

"For the past ten minutes."

"But, your meeting?"

"Oh, Superman rescheduled the meeting for tomorrow afternoon."

"Really? So we can all go to dinner tonight?"

"You bet!"

"YES! BEST DAY EVER!"

* * *

Later that night after having dinner, watching the game over on video and tucking his boy into bed Bruce was back in his Batcave as Batman, scanning his supply of chemicals. He was low on Magnesium Sulfate...

_Beep! Beep! _

It was coming over the JLA line. Sigh, this again?

"Yes?"

"Batman, this is Martian Manhunter."

"What is it?"

"Superman wished to invite you to a League Lunch Meeting tomorrow but insisted that one of us clear it with your…parents?"

Something told Batman that Doctor L and Agent A were going to have more to do with the League in the near future than they EVER imagined.

* * *

A/N: Eh, plot bunnies. What are you going to do?

~Moonsetta


	2. Warpath

**Title: **Warpath

**Author: **Moonsetta

**Date: **Thursday 28th, 2013 to Friday 29th, 2013

**Summary: **Robin was in the medical bay of the Watchtower with a twisted arm. The League was all gathered around the teleporter waiting for Batman. When he did come through though, he quickly made his way to the far side of the room. "What are you doing?" "Clearing the Warpath."

**A/N:** Yeah, I'd like to make this a series of one-shots but I lack ideas for Agent A and Doctor L and just for a heads-up I had a conversation on my DA about this. If you want to use Agent A he's already widely recognized by the community I really have no ownership over him and while I haven't seen anything before about a costumed Leslie Thompkins (Doctor L) if you want to use her-go ahead! Even if her alternate identity of Doctor L was my creation I have no copyright on it.

Truthfully thinking up a name for Leslie actually took most of the day I wrote "Parental Intervention" until eventually I just threw up my hands in frustration and decided to keep the Doctor title and kept the tradition of using the first letter of her first name like Agent A as Alfred's alternate identity.

Also Doctor L is in fact INDEED a reference to both Doctor Who and Luigi from the Mario games. I don't know how I EVER got the two to connect but my brain just happens to be weird like that I guess. So, enjoy the read (or not) and maybe drop a suggestion or two?

* * *

"What are you doing?" Flash asked as the Dark Knight made his way through the group of the Justice League that was gathered around the teleporter.

After they had called with the news that an _accident_ had ended with Robin having a twisted arm on his mission with Superman, they had expected the Dark Knight would have stomped in and promptly strangled the Man of Steel.

"Clearing the Warpath."

Two more incoming alerts and the League knew since they were involved with Batman, well…

"Been good knowing you, Superman! See ya!" Flash said quickly and even more quickly than his speech, exited the general vicinity.

Two familiar forms exited the teleporters one leaving behind only a general glance of acknowledgment before Doctor L had them all frozen with her glare and was heading straight for the medical bay. She conveniently knocked Green Lantern out of her way and thankfully Wonder Woman was wise enough to fly up and out of her way. Batman cast a look at the frightened Man of Steel and smirked before mouthing:

"You'll wish I had been the one torturing you."

The Dark Knight quickly made his way out behind Doctor L, leaving the League with Agent A.

A quick clearing of a throat echoed out and Martian Manhunter quickly fazed through the floor as the black clothed elderly man cast his gaze around the room. Heesh, all of this for a twisted arm? What happened when someone in Gotham got to the boy with a knife or a gun?

"I believe its Superman I should be speaking with?"

"Yeah, I got a message from Oa. I gotta go," Green Lantern muttered, quickly escaping.

"Hey wait, I need to talk to you!" Hawkgirl said after him, both flying out of the tower.

Wonder Woman was even feeling a little nervous for Superman, "Um, I'm going to go check on…navigation."

"Now I believe you were warned about Robin's arm injury and you gave your word-"

That was the last Wonder Woman heard from the navigation deck but she was sure everyone on the tower heard, a few minutes later:

"Mince words with me and I will not hesitate to call THEM!"

"No!"

Inside the Medical Lab where the yells echoed, Batman was smirking before shrugging at the wide eyed boy that was sitting on one of the beds.

"Is Al-um Agent A really yelling at Superman?" Robin asked as his left arm was tucked with a gentle hand into a sling.

"Don't worry Robin," Doctor L assured, reaching into her pocket for a lollypop, "Agent A is just reminding Superman of his responsibilities. Oh look, I have cherry today."

"Really? Yum!"

Batman tried not to smile when the elderly doctor unwrapped the candy in question and handed it over to his boy. Unfortunately, the arm would take longer to heal than it had before but it would be OK. Since Agent A and apparently Doctor L, as she was quick to excuse herself from the room, were handling the yelling prospect of the problem he could focus on the boy. Said boy was now looking at him curiously, oh probably worried that he was mad.

"Does your arm feel better?"

"Mm-hm! Are they going to kill him?"

"No, we Bats are never that merciful."

"Oh yeah, that's right," the boy said nonchalantly but was smirking to show he got the implied joke.

The Dark Knight crossed the room quickly. Now that the Warpath was clear he could get to his boy and scoop the child into his arms.

"Hey, my arm is twisted not my leg."

"I know, but we don't want you collapsing again."

"It doesn't hurt that much anymore."

"Just to be safe Robin."

The little boy took a long time pushing the lollypop around in his mouth with his tongue before pulling it out with a _pop!_

"OK then. What are we having for dinner?" Robin asked as the two made their way out of the room.

"Agent A fixed cheese stuffed rigatoni."

"Ah, really? Yes!"

"Well you do have a special test tomorrow so you'll need the energy. Been remembering the elements?"

Robin smiled and started humming under his breath, "Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Neon, Sodium, Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicone, Phosphorus, Sulfur, Chlorine, Argon, Potassium, Calcium-"

"Robin, Mrs. Davis is only testing you on the first five."

Shrug, "I know but you said the best student never stops learning."

"True," he had said that.

"So are there things Agent A and Doctor L don't know?"

"I guess so, but I don't think we should test them on that. Agreed?"

The boy seemed to think about it for a minute before nodding resolutely. The two reached the teleporter room just as the Flash finally deemed it clear and safe enough for him to reenter the room.

"Hey Batman! Hello Robin!"

"Hello Flash."

"Uh Batman, you might need to rescue Superman."

The Dark Knight raised a hidden eyebrow, "They have him cornered?"

A nod, "Yep."

The Dark Knight sighed very humanly before setting the boy in his arms down, "Stay here, I'll be back. If Agent A spends too much time correcting Superman we'll never get any dinner."

A nod caused the boy's hair to land in front of his eyes whereupon Robin responded by blowing at the clump of strands that had the nerve to block his vision. Hmm, it had been awhile since Dick had had a haircut. Well, they could do that tomorrow while they were shopping at the mall. Snow cones, they should get snow cones tomorrow too. After all Deep Freeze Ice had gotten a four star review from the Gotham Times so it should be safe.

"Don't push any buttons, or pull any levers or twist any knobs," Batman yelled back as he headed for the far doorway where he could easily make out Agent A's voice coming from the furthest room at the end of the hall.

Robin pouted and crossed his arms across his chest in such a _cute _way that caused the Flash to almost laugh. Thankfully he held it back. He had already been hit and knocked out by a chair once when he had entered the Batcave unannounced. He was not up for repeating the incident by angering the mini-bat.

"I'm not stupid," the boy said, rolling his hidden eyes to the ceiling mockingly.

"Robin do you know why was everyone worried about you twisting your arm? Normally that's not much of a big deal," Flash asked, smiling at the youngster.

Robin rolled the lollypop between his fingers. It was rare he got candy, especially before dinner. Alfred and Bruce were such health nuts. So he considered the question, rolling the candy around in his mouth again before pulling it out with another _pop_ that was just all so adorable the Flash had to smile. He didn't know where Batman had found the kid, but he was such an angelic relief from the dark, broody Bat that the Scarlet Speedster honestly couldn't even be a little mad. Sure, most of the League members were still kind of stiff lipped about the child but what could they do? Robin was Batman's.

"Hm, probably because it was my shoulder and I hurt my collarbone the other day. Something about a loose splinter of bone and then something about the Atlas vertebrae in my neck? I don't know the specifics, Doctor L only told Batman and Agent A-not me. Which is weird, I mean if it's MY injury shouldn't I be the one getting the info?"

What kind of injury had he gotten?

"That doesn't make any sense, Robin."

A sigh followed and the young one agreed, "I know. See why can't everyone talk to me like you do?"

"Like I do?" he asked, confused.

"Yeah, I mean even Batman talks to me like a naive little kid half of the time. Even though he of all people should know I'm far from normal."

"Oh, Little One-"

"Hey!"

"Well you are little, especially compared to the rest of us and you are younger. Those are factoid observations Robin."

"…Yeah…I know. Man, I can't wait to grow up."

"Well that's true; younger people are often like that. Listen though, I think when it comes to the Big Black Bat he wants you to be a kid as long as possible."

The boy tilted his head to the side with the candy stick to one side from his mouth that was another cute moment Flash had to endure. You know, he was beginning to think villains tried to and succeeded occasionally in kidnapping Robin because the kid was cute. Not because they necessarily wanted something over Batman. After all, from the stories he had been hearing of the Dynamic Duo's cases lately the Dark Knight was getting kidnapped or Bat-napped a few times too so the villains could have something over Robin.

"That doesn't make any sense Flash. When I'm older I'll have more training and experience so I can help Batman more."

Flash smirked, he wasn't sure how to explain but he was going to try, "Well Robin, he's already grateful for the help you already give him but remember we all have double lives and he wants you to live a full civilian life just as much as he hopes for full crime fighting life."

OK, so it was a lie. Flash had already overheard Batman telling Superman that he hoped Robin would grow out of the business. Though, none of them actually had a point of reference for the situation. Robin was the first child to ever do this so of course there was worry there. If he came out great, which he been doing so far, there was possibility for future heroes. In fact, wouldn't it be ideal if by the time any hit the streets as adults that they had already had years of training and experience behind them?

"True…" Robin said before letting his gaze roam around the room until they stopped and his face lit up at the three walking towards the teleporter.

"Where's Superman?"

Flash turned to find Batman, Agent A and Doctor L all heading towards the two of them. Well, OK they were heading towards the boy so it was probably a very wise decision that he-got out of their way! He, quick-as-a-flash (Heh! He'd never get tired of that) moved out of the way of the trio. Batman reached the boy first, stretching out to place a hand on his good shoulder.

"Come on, we have cheese-stuffed rigatoni in our future."

The boy flashed a big grin at the black clothed butler behind the Bat and nodded fast-which made Doctor L warm him about his collarbone and vertebrae.

"Bye Flash."

"Bye Robin, Batman, Agent A, Doctor L! Well…you know maybe we should just start saying Bat-Family."

All-in-all, what took the Scarlet Speedster by the greatest surprise was the fact that Batman smiled at him before directing his family towards the exit.

Hmm, that was weird. Should he be prepared for a surprise-assassination soon?

…?

Nah! It was probably just Bat-Paranoia.

He smiled and took a step towards the hallway that would lead to the cafeteria. Wait a minute-

Holy side-stepping amoebas…IT WAS CONTAGIOUS!

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah kind of a lame idea on my part but…for such an idea I have like ZERO continuation ideas.

Help! Does anyone have any suggestions?

~Moonsetta


	3. About What Happens

**Title: **About What Happens

**Author: **Moonsetta

**Date: **Friday, November 29, 2013 to Sunday, December 1, 2013

**Summary: **Infiltrating a spaceship, rescuing the Justice League and taking on a hoard of drunken aliens wasn't ever in his wildest imagination. In the end, Dick hopes this doesn't end with him back in the JDC.

**A/N: **I originally was using this idea as a separate one-shot but no matter what I couldn't start it out right so then I thought-what better way than fitting Agent A and Doctor L into the idea? Now admittedly this idea is more serious than humorous but I had to get it out of my head. Note, none of these stories are necessarily interconnected.

Admittedly, this may not be a good story but it was nonetheless great practice for me. ^_^

* * *

Alfred Pennyworth was descending the stairs that lead to the Batcave when the boy had made the decision. Alas, the butler's mind had been preoccupied when the news had come over the radio which he had turned on while he was dusting the foyer. In fact, it was still echoing in his mind.

"_The Nasserite Gang are the surprisingly only witnesses of the fabled Dark Knght's entrance into the compound. This floating offense base rose out of Gotham Bay just an hour ago, firing on three boats and killing four people as the others swarmed to the safety of the nearby granite structure that had landed in the bay just last week due to the explosion of a nearby warehouse. The survivors are now being rescued by helicopter lift. _

_The Nasserite Gang had been gathered at the south outcropping of Righteous Incorporated debris dump when they saw a fast moving, black speedboat heading towards the floating fort. They claim to have seen Batman himself leave the boat in question, which was immediately fired upon, and enter the Unidentified Floating Object. Yet, they claim that that was more than 40 minutes ago shortly after the commercial boats were fired upon."_

In little time he came upon the small boy shuffling around inside one of the utility cabinets.

"Master Dick?"

The boy yipped and jumped back, his wide eyes hidden behind a domino mask. He had that costume on. The one he had chased Zucco with just two days before.

"Young man, what do you think you're doing? Master Bruce forbid-"

"I know!" the boy shouted before clamping both of his green gloved hands over his mouth.

He blinked a few times before letting his hands fall, "I know Alfred. I know Bruce told me to never put this on again. To never go out and do-what he does."

An elderly eyebrow ascended upon the butler's face as the boy took a breath.

"-But I have to."

"And pray tell why that is?"

The boy in question bit his bottom lip before walking over to the radio set up on the far table and flipped on the familiar station.

"_This just in! The Justice League! I repeat, the Justice League just entered the compound moments ago and we immediately heard this message from a figure atop the structure. Listen closely:"_

"_**You fools! They will be the first to die tonight! Before we start tearing apart this city one citizen after another until we've picked your bones clean!"**_

"_Commissioner Gordon of the GCPD is advising everyone to lock themselves in their homes as whatever our visitors are have now revealed and aimed long stretched cannons towards the nearest structures of Gotham Bay. Even my team and I have been moved into our news van. One can only guess at what is happening to those heroes inside."_

The boy turned wide eyes on the butler, "Alfred, I'm sorry. You guys can punish me however or send me back I don't care. I need to go after Bruce!"

He wasn't sure if it was the news or the boy's pleading but Alfred Pennyworth turned a just-as determined gaze on his youngest charge, "What do you need?"

* * *

Of all the times, and there were MANY, that Alfred wanted to curse his eldest charge now was one of them. He was going to HAVE to send the boy in like this?

"I can't take any Batarangs, he never taught me to use them. I don't know anything about his utility belt," Dick said, his face pale as he shuffled through the equipment vaults.

The butler was near steaming, Bruce hadn't taught him about any of this? Of course, the man had been right…there was no need for a boy in question to go out and fight dangerous criminals during the night but this was aggravating. The little acrobat didn't have knowledge about the grapple gun, the Batarangs, the vehicles, the bombs, nothing!

"Oh what am I gonna-wait a minute!" the boy shouted before running to the far side of the cave to a large metal box.

That was where Bruce had thrown everything the boy had used to find Anthony Zucco just days ago but the chest was locked and-

"Ah ha! Easy!"

"You know how to pick locks?"

"Eh," at the boy did have the decency to look slightly guilty, "I well…it's a long story. I'll tell you about it some time."

Out of the box came a very tightly pressed wired rope connected to a bent piece of heavy metal.

"Heh, I found the rope wire in a construction yard and this metal kind of fell off when I was riding the train."

"Master Dick, we will be talking about this."

"I know," the acrobat said as he shuffled inside more and pulled out a small bag.

"Homemade flash and smoke bombs. Valence Yeton was a choreographer in our floor act so he showed me how to make them."

"Any other skills you're hiding from us?"

"I can't use the Batarangs but are there any knives? I know knife throwing."

This was not going to be easy. Not easy at all.

* * *

"Master Dick, you know how Master Bruce will react to this."

The boy in the back of the filmed over black car nodded, biting his lip again. He glanced down at his waist where his makeshift utility belt hung. It wasn't one of Batman's utility belts, that was for sure. Dick had had little choice but to grab one of his civilian belts to use. The rope and bent metal unorthodox hook hung on the front left where it was sure to bounce against his thigh painfully every few steps, but it was a sacrifice because if it hung to the side there was a chance of it hitting something and giving away his position as he snuck into the compound. Though there was the worry of it getting wet. The entire rope and hook had been wrapped in sealed plastic for the trip. It would need to stay dry. An oilskin pouch held the homemade smoke and flash bombs, also sealed. In another pouch on his hip, there were two breathing masks. Hopefully one for him and one for his guardian.

Half of Dick Grayson couldn't believe he was about to do this. Yes, not just try. He had to make it!

He had convinced Alfred to drive him to the docks. After that it was up to him. The newly realized Boy Wonder just focused on the 'tools of the trade' he had managed to scrounge up together.

Strangely Batman hadn't had any knives he could get to so the ones in the pouch against his right hip were actually Alfred's. If they were damaged, Dick was sure he'd get the punishment of his life but…he had to. Batman hadn't taught him anything about his Batarangs or any of the bombs or explosives the Dark Knight had so there was little choice.

Strangely Alfred had entered the garage in a costume of his own but Dick hadn't commented on it.

The boy only gulped as the front door of the car was opened and another person slipped inside. In mere moments of breath, he was facing a masked version of Leslie Thompkins. The first nice doctor he had met after Batman had gotten him out of the JDC.

"Please tell me what Alfred said over the phone was one of you going insane Dick."

"I have to help them or at least…him Leslie."

"Doctor L, Dick."

"We are resigned to the consequences," the masked butler explained to the woman next to him.

The newly named Doctor L scoffed, "Fate has a way of smacking you in the face Agent A."

"Indeed it does."

In the backseat, behind his mask, Dick worried. Would he even be able to make it? Could he actually sneak into the UFO without being picked up? Could he rescue Batman? What about the Justice League that had went in and not come out? Did they need rescue?

And if so…how was he going to rescue the Justice League with no crime fighting training much less no alien-combat training (he was sure the two were very different) and no weapons but what he had experience in?

He had had training with throwing knives, but that was about not hitting people with them. He had acrobatic training, but that was about landing where people weren't. He had some trick-riding training on horses, elephants and even some big cats but what were the chances the aliens in question were using those creatures as security guards? Plus, the homemade flash and smoke bombs were for show business. The smoke couldn't take out an enemy and the flash bombs weren't nearly bright enough to cause any blinding affects.

Oh, how was he going to do this?

The only tools of Batman's he had were the breathing masks which were the only tools he had had time to learn to use from Alfred. Add to the fact that he didn't know what was in that floating base. If he screwed up and they caught him and just laser-blasted him for the fun of it…well that would be the end or he could just you know drown in the bay.

"Master Dick, we're here."

"Parked in the shadows?"

"Of course. Doctor L and I will clear the docks."

Leslie Thompkins turned a frown onto the child, "You better come back. Both of you."

* * *

The water was, be definition of the city, extremely dark and valiantly chilled. Nevertheless, when the Boy Wonder hit the water he took off as fast as he could. Yes, he was swimming towards the compound. It wasn't like he had any other choice in the matter. Any water/air craft that had attempted to approach the fort had been blasted into debris. So, that's why he was swimming.

That was why he had to swim…200 meters to the fort in question.

Every chocking mouthful of water was spit out as soon as it entered his mouth but he was putting enough energy into just staying afloat. He hoped there weren't any sharks in the Bay. He hadn't heard about anything really being the bay except some chemicals and wild fish. Oh, he would be so thankful if he didn't come out looking like purple people eater with eight arms and a two meter candy cane striped tongue.

Still if anything happened to Bruce…

It would be a long swim so Dick focused on his memories and only spared one glance back at the docks where he could see two figures on the furthest pier, one mostly black, the other mostly white because of the doctor's coat and sent back a mental reassurance that he'd figure it out. Although he was hoping there was a future where he should tell Batman that he should probably see to owning more than one water vehicle because, if the young acrobat somehow lived through this and he didn't end up back at the JDC because Bruce decided to keep him for some reason, he was not doing this again.

One quarter towards the alien fort he allowed his mind to drift while it just told his body to keep pushing forward. Yeah, maybe he was crazy for doing this but…what other option did he have? Batman had been gone for an hour now and the Justice League was near to hitting the 20 minutes mark. They had been gone much too long.

He did feel guilty about the costume. Two days previously he had learned about Batman and the location of Anthony Zucco. OK, he had been foolish to take on the murderer alone. Zucco had murdered his parents so Dick should have realized that the man wouldn't have second thoughts about killing the child Grayson too. Batman had raced after and saved him.

The boy had gotten a severe shouting when they had returned home though and his left shoulder was still bruised where Bruce had grabbed him. He didn't blame his guardian now that he looked back at the ordeal. Yes, he had been stupid and truthfully Bruce's actions had been very light compared to what happened at the JDC.

"_Little Pretty Boy, aren't ya?"_

Dick shook the memory from his head. It wouldn't do to go thinking about any of that now.

_Lightning flashed, eclipsing his wall with a curtain of light from the room beside his. The noose swayed. He gulped and buried his head in his own shoulder with a whimper._

Shut up! It was the past! It was over! He wouldn't have to see that again! Bruce had promised! No…Batman had promised him that when he had stormed the place with the GCPD and shut it down.

Well, time flew. Half way there!

He was short of gasping breaths and he was freezing. Too bad he didn't have a choice because really, if he got scared here and swam back that'd just be stupid. Might as well go all of the way then since he was half way there.

In the meantime he thought back to the days in Wayne Manor. Sure, it had all been overwhelming especially considering where he had been before but he had taken it in stride, pretending that the over-luxurious mansion and way of life didn't intimidate him in the least. Of course it did! Any circus kid would feel the same. Heck, he might have been living there for a month at this point but what did that really mean? Sure, Haly's Circus had come and gone…taking everything he had ever known with him including the one man he had wanted to stay with, his Godfather, Pop Haly. Maybe after this, if he succeeded and when Bruce lost the last of his patience with him (probably for the stupid stunt he was currently preforming) he could call and go back to the circus? He was certain that Bruce wouldn't send him anywhere dangerous and maybe he would even help him get back to the circus if he asked him really nicely.

Three-quarters of the distance but on the bright side of things, all of the movement had warmed his body up. That was good. Problem though…in another ten meters there were spotlights. They had spotlights on the fort now! What the heck were the aliens protecting or was it their prisoners?

The weight of the situation hit him again.

"What the heck am I thinking?" he muttered as he stopped and floated to let a spotlight run a path in front of him.

He was supposedly, armed with a few knives, two breathing masks, no combat training and some poorly made smoke and flash bombs, swim the expanse of Gotham Bay, sneak into a floating alien ship without being detected, take down aliens he didn't know anything about while not being caught, and then locate and rescue Batman and the Justice League!

How was he going to do this?

YIKES! He paddled backwards quickly.

Well, he could START by NOT being caught by the freaking SPOTLIGHTS!

"Get your head strait Grayson!" he commanded before darting forward again as fast and as silently as he could. Thankfully he did know that there were some fish in Gotham Bay so he any ripples moving the water would hopefully just be perceived as just local marine-life moving about. He hoped anyways.

The shore of the compound, just a meter away!

He rocketed the final meter and pulled himself up onto the uphill ledges that lead to openings in the ships. There were no blaring sounds and the spotlights weren't coming after him. OK, as long he hadn't set of any silent alarms he was part of the way there! As soon as he could catch his breath that was.

* * *

Today had been horrible. Absolutely horrible the Dark Knight decided as he gazed up at the pale faces attached to the arms that were running a handheld beeping scanner over his bloody abdomen where one the extraterrestrials had just stabbed him in the gut. Whatever those knives were made of was sharp, very sharp. Impressively sharp as one had run through his armor like it was nothing short of liquidated tissue paper.

"Leave him alone!"

Ugh! Why couldn't Superman take a page from him and become the strong silent type for just this once? No way. Now the aliens were focused on him! Idiot! Freaking idiot!

He didn't know how the aliens had kryptonite but they had it and low and behold they had no problems stabbing the Man of Steel and examining the blood that flowed out. Thankfully it seemed to please the aliens because they quickly exited the cells where the seven members of the League were chained up. The wound the Dark Knight had was small though and he gazed at the other heroes long enough for Flash to open his mouth.

"Say one word and I will rip these chains out of the wall and strangle you with them!"

Flash wisely shut up.

How long had it been? Batman knew he had been unconscious for a while but any talking could perverse the extra-terrestrials to reenter the cell and-

Crap! He technically had spoken and they were back-their focus on him. Though hopefully everyone would shut up when they were done with whatever it was they were planning on doing.

_Swish!_

Great, more knives!

"Get away from him!"

If Superman didn't find a stopper for that bleeding heart of his soon, he was going to be dead…or worse since they all knew nothing about these aliens. If only Martian Manhunter wasn't unconscious maybe he could tell them something?

* * *

To Dick's fear, even if there were tunnels leading inside the structure, they were lined with sensors and there was no other way in at the land-level for lack of a better term. He could try climbing the UFO in question…but there was nothing to throw his make-shift grapple to and nothing to hold onto to climb. If he could hollow out the heels of his boots he could use them as suction cups but he doubted he'd be able to scale the compound as it felt like flesh. Oh he hoped this was just a ship and not a living, breathing creature that could swallow him in one bite. Dodging another spotlight he had little choice, if there was no lateral or aerial entrance he had to look below. He removed one of the breathing masks and thankfully activated it correctly. Thanking Alfred or Agent A as he had been presented earlier, he dove only to get ANOTHER surprise.

Holy towering icebergs!

True it was dark and his mask was nothing special that allowed him to see in the dark but he did see enough thanks to some of the spotlights. The remainder of the dark mass that made up the UFO expanded very deeply. Upon the surface the base had only been some 10 meters up but below, it went beyond what he could even see. Note to self, if he made it through this (which he still heavily doubted), he planned to invest in a water-proof flashlight or maybe some water-proof night vision goggles. Until then, if he wanted to go through with this…he would have to guide the way by touch.

He again thanked Agent A for explaining the breathing mask. Who knows what would have happened if he had to navigate this without one by relying on his own lungs' supply of air? So with a heavy heart and freezing touch he dove deeper, his hands reaching out to trace the skin of the ship. Hopefully he wasn't setting off any alarms doing this either but he figured since he had yet to be blasted he was doing one heck of a job. About 15 meters down he hit a lucky or well…a lucky break hit him. Part of the side of the structure opened and sucked him in. Thankfully he was able to tuck and avoid hitting his head on the small inner structure poles of what he guessed was a converter pipe. Maybe they breathed H2O instead of Oxygen? Maybe they were from Neptune or Europa?

Well enough hypothesizing, this was a fancy and mature way to say guessing that adults liked to use to appear smart. Though he wondered if most of them actually knew what it meant. Probably not.

Either way, the pipe spat him out inside the structure as a lucky break where there was a large, very deep pool of water. Wow, he was having a lot of strange luck with this mission so far, if this even counted as a mission. Maybe a last mission since he was sure that this would be his last time doing anything of the sort. If he wasn't dead by the end of the night he was certain he'd wake up in the morning with his minimal stuff packed. OK, maybe he was being a little intense about the idea but after his try to take down Zucco he had never seen Batman/Bruce so furious with him.

He shook the thought from his mind again and had his hand not been under the influence of the dense water he would've smacked himself silly. Worry about it later.

He took little time to get to the top of the water where he spotted soft white lights that made the very murky water turn clear for some reason. Maybe the lights were purifying the water in some way.

That was very interesting…but not his main prerogative.

Ha, wouldn't Madame Vera be happy with his improved vocabulary? Well, he blamed all the books he was reading at the Manor. There wasn't much else to do besides.

Wonderfully the area at the top of the water was clear but to be clear of any monitoring devices Dick kept himself under water deep enough to be engulfed by the shadows before swimming towards the side of the pool where he spotted a group of levitating crates? OK, Alfred had taught him about applying and breathing through the mask and he gratefully did have some diving and swimming training. Haly's Circus had followed the warm weather throughout countries so getting to go to beaches was a common thing and he had been privy to diving lessons from some of the performers and escape artists in the circus.

Unfortunately back to the point that when he removed the mask from his face, he was not expecting the effective switch to normal air to be so…influential. Ha! Three-point vocab word!

Now, while he worked on getting his breath back a second time he would scan the area and find out where the League could be hidden.

And for the time being he decided to stop being overwhelmed by the fact he was attempting to rescue the Justice League from a group of aliens he hadn't even seen yet. Somehow not having seen them yet worried him more than anything.

* * *

Back across Gotham Bay, on the rooftop of the Terral Book's Warehouse (long out of business, though some crates of old text books still gathered spider webs inside) two figures waited in worry.

"Agent A, WE should've done something," Doctor L muttered where she was sitting on an aged but surprisingly steady ventilation shaft as the duo looked over the bay.

"Could you have made that swim?"

A sigh followed the question from the woman, who was now gazing at the black clothed man that was standing at the edge of the rooftop; his visage was focused into a glare upon the lightened structure of the bay. There were no sirens or loud announcements so hopefully Dick was getting somewhere.

"I know and any boat or plane would've been destroyed."

The masked Leslie Thompkins didn't have to make any further sound before Agent A was by her side and grasping her hands in his.

"He'll make it. He is an extraordinary boy."

"He's eight."

"Alright, an extraordinary eight year old boy."

"He could be killed in an instant. Then what do we do?"

"We hope," Agent A said, reaching out to lay a hand on the side of the woman's face in an intimate contact of comfort and reassurance.

* * *

OK, that had been way too close! Stupid! He was soaking wet and he was so obviously leaving a trail wherever he went. Why hadn't it occurred to him before one of the patrolling aliens in the third room had slipped and knocked himself out due to one of the puddles? That had meant he had to get to a high place quickly. Only one problem, while the outside of the structure had seemed to be some kind of flesh, the inside seemed to be a big metal shell of platforms, hanging chains that he spent too much time comparing to a particular rope and steel garters. Dick was now perched precariously atop one of the steel gutters. Fortunately the sealed plastic bag had kept his makeshift grapple rope dry from the swim, unfortunately when one metal object hit another…it kind of made a loud sound. He had had to scramble to secure the line and shimmy up it and then quickly find a place to hide as some other aliens entered the room.

One went to their fallen comrade while the other one scanned the room.

Apparently, much like humans, these aliens didn't bother looking up throughout their lives and from the gestures the one scanning the room was making they had decided that something besides an intruder had left the puddle. They weren't very observant so they failed to follow the trail back into shadows he had been traveling through.

Why was this going so well? He was getting awfully lucky throughout this. No way was this so easy!

The aliens carried their unconscious friend through another doorway and Dick breathed a gigantic sigh of relief. Now, just to locate the League…

Which he was going to do how?

Judging by the mass he had seen under the water there could be dozens of levels below where the Justice League and Batman could be.

Ah! Maybe this wasn't so easy after all.

Think…he needed to think!

* * *

What were they planning to take out the Kryptonian's spleen?

"Leave the alien alone!" Batman yelled, distracting the aliens' attention away from Superman.

Now if only the Big Blue Boy Scout would keep his fat lip shut maybe someone could focus on getting out of here. He wished Superman didn't consider them friends, maybe then he would stop trying to be so noble. OK, from one argument Superman did have a point, he was an alien but that didn't count for much when the aliens, willing to slice you open, had kryptonite blades and somehow kryptonite based laser guns? He had to learn about those if he got the chance.

The aliens blinked at him, their eyes turning red and jaws expanding as if they were looking forward to draining his blood out like a duo of folklore vampires.

Just great! Well better him than Superman, he was used to pain where the Kryptonian wasn't…and maybe this was good luck. The Man of Steel looked ready to pass out so that would shut him up. He could tell the others wanted to talk but his threat was apparently still believed.

Not that he was looking forward to being stabbed again. Used to pain and blood loss, he was-but he didn't particularly like it.

* * *

Dick was amazed that he had been able to find some kind of fancy alien control room because there were many monitors inside that displayed different levels of the ship. None of the lights on the panels were flashing; of course he couldn't really see most of them because there was an alien passed out on the controls. He was holding what Dick recognized as an earthen bottle of beer. He guessed none of the extra-terrestrials could hold their liquor.

He went to take a step forward when it hit him that he was in the control room of an alien ship with a collapsed alien. Just half a meter from him.

Wow. That was weird.

ARG! Focus Dick! Find the League or at least Batman. Marvel at the experience later. OK logically the aliens wouldn't have kept them on any of the lower levels. The water had risen rapidly in other parts of the ship so this place wasn't being pressurized. Maybe that's why they were being hostile because their ship was damaged? Either way, a lot of the Justice League would have drowned if they had kept them on any of the lower levels. So that did narrow the possible locations down.

It took very few seconds to scope out their picture on one of the cameras. He saw the League, but it was a distant shot.

Dick had to stop himself from yelling in frustration first, because there were actually three cameras aimed at the group, second because all the shots were distant so he couldn't make out any details about the group and last, the plates below each screen were written in their alien language. Sure he knew a lot of languages from his days of travel but he had never taken up Ela-forsoal or whatever this language was. What did mirrored C, sideways question mark, double diagonal eights and half shaded-in box mean anyways?

Great! What now?

A gurgling sound escaped the alien at the controls and the Boy Wonder decided that lingering here probably wasn't the best idea. He scanned each of the three scenes that showed the Justice League before nodding and darting back out of the room. Heesh, didn't these aliens believe in doors?

A shuffling and thump told Dick that the alien had gotten up and probably walked into the wall and that made the boy rethink his previous statement. Well, maybe there was a reason that they didn't have any doors.

But wait, did he really want to think on this too hard and add drunken aliens to the mission equation that he was already trying to ignore?

Probably better to ignore it, besides it was only one alien the rest were probably well behaved, well-disciplined warriors…

He skidded to a stop and gasped at the sight of a whole group of about thirty of the thin, white aliens passed out over the expanse of the next room.

OK, maybe he needed to revise that statement. This might be easier than he thought.

* * *

Now he was slumped on the floor. Idiots, if they didn't stop the bleeding he was going to die.

"Batman!"

Would Superman shut up? His voice was giving him a headache on top of the blood loss but he couldn't part his lips to speak. Yep, that last knife had punctured something if he could taste the plasma in his mouth and feel the blood flooding his throat. What had it punctured? He couldn't tell for some reason. There wasn't much blood so he probably wasn't going to die anytime soon but man did it make him light headed!

"Batman, are you awake!"

OK if he COULD rip the chains out of the walls and strangle the Man of Steel, he would. If only one of them could get out! Some electro-blast aimed at his boat earlier had knocked out all of his communications equipment so there wasn't any hope of reaching Alfred at this point. The group could hope Black Canary, Green Arrow, one of the other Green Lanterns or even Aquaman could help them out (actually Aquaman would strangely be a good choice in this predicament) but he doubted the extra-terrestrials had been so stupid as to leave the others with their comms active and in working order.

His city, he hoped nothing was happening out there. If they killed anyone…

Well at least Alfred and Dick were safe at home. Actually perhaps Alfred was working on getting ahold of one of the other heroes.

A clanking echoed from the hallway and Batman found some hidden strength to clear his gaze to take in the others. Superman and he and were the only ones conscious. He wasn't sure what had been done to the others but they were all out cold and from the sound of the slow steps outside of their cell door the aliens were far from finished with them.

"Batman?"

Cowled blue eyes left the door for just a second to meet alien, wide blue. Hmm even Superman had some blood staining his face though the Dark Knight assured himself that it was a combination of the scratches on his face and the kryptonite above his head. A scrape and the footsteps stopped. Batman closed his eyes, prepared.

* * *

Dick decided that it HAD to be this door because for the record he had passed over two dozen rooms with no doors but for some reason this room had one and he had seen a duo of worryingly non-drunk aliens walk out of it. He wondered why they weren't drunk like the others and he was suddenly frustrated with that. Where had they gotten beer? Was that the reason they had crashed into Gotham Bay in the first place? Had some stupid astronaut left beer on the moon or something and the extra-terrestrials had found it?

He was in far too deep to worry about it now. He just had to figure out how to open the door so he dropped down from where he had been crawling across and swinging from the steel garters that kept the structure together and walked towards the door. He almost smacked head first into it.

So, not motion activated.

Some hidden lever or button or could you just push it open? He tried and got nowhere. Hmm, he knocked his knuckles against the door very lightly before he removed one of his gloves and placed a naked palm against the metal. This didn't feel like steel. It was too dense…probably lead.

Sigh, this could take a while…if the League was even here.

* * *

The Dark Knight reopened his eyes. Great he must have passed out and the aliens must have moved him because he was now chained to a…square target board? What ere these extra-terrestrials, drunk?

He got his answer when a purple glowing spear landed next to his head. He glanced down a metal platform pathway below him followed it and found a group of the pale white aliens pointing and it sounded like…purring? They were purring at him. Considering the motions though, it was probably their form of laughter. What they were saying to each other though didn't match any alien language he knew at all. For a moment he spared the League a thought…were they going through something like this?

Oh great, he was target practice and here came the second spear. Thankfully these creatures shouldn't be able to aim very well.

A second spear grazed his ribs on the right, tearing through his armor like nothing more than hot air. Then again, maybe they could!

A more muscle-bound alien was aiming and this time there was a little laser line aimed at his throat. Wait, if that spear went through his armor like the others had then. Oh gosh, he was going to die!

He closed his eyes, braced himself and though he wasn't a very religious man he sent up a mental prayer (or perhaps a plea?) for Alfred to watch out for Dick. No matter what happened here.

That's when there was a gigantic flash in front of his face, smoke filled the area and a tiny figure darted out of the nearby shadows.

What was…WHAT?

* * *

He found his guardian. Dick wasn't sure why he had followed the strange purring noise after giving up on the sealed door because he had thought it might have been some kind of current static towards a power core. While power cores, via all of the movies he had watched and stories he had read, were ideal for bringing down alien ships ad that probably wasn't a good idea in the current situation. Then again maybe it was malfunctioning and perhaps there was a non-drunk alien working on it that had some kind of blue prints for the ship?

He hadn't expected a large metal platform stretching out towards a square shaped target board where the Dark Knight himself was pinned while aliens (most drunk) were throwing spears at him!

OK…what was he supposed to do now?

Uh flash and smoke bombs! OK!

Dick launched himself in a flip over the aliens' heads only to spy one particularly strong-looking alien throw another spear. Crap he had to stop that thing! He apologized to Alfred as he launched a knife at the spear, a flash bomb in front of the aliens and launch-kicked a smoke bomb down by his guardian.

And that was the extent of his plan. OK, he should just focus on getting Batman out of here-

But that plan kind of washed itself down the drain when Dick felt a tentacle yes a creepy, slimy tentacle curl around his neck! Oh crap, it was the muscled one on top of that. He grabbed a bit of luck with the slime the limb was secreting though. Ew, gross! It was easy to slip out of the extra-terrestrial's grasp and dive into the shadows.

Maybe a lot of smoke bombs would do the trick. Sure alone each wasn't very powerful but maybe if there was a lot at once?

_Boom!_

_Bam!_

_Boom!_

The aliens laughed like wild coyotes as they ran back and forth along the platform before all smacking into one another. Wow, that was convenient.

"Dick?"

The colorful child turned back towards is guardian and crap-he was in trouble! Though he was more worried about the amount of dried blood and the rips and tears in the man's suit. Were the aliens' weapons that strong? He shook off the shock and ran to his guardian's side, scooping up his previously thrown knife he had originally thrown to knock away the spear seconds before, to cut the strangely thin but strong rope threads that were holding Bruce to the target board.

"What are you doing here? In that costume?"

"Batman, you're bleeding and you look like you're about to pass out!"

"Why are you here?"

Yep. He was definitely about to pass out.

"Rescuing you. Where's the Justice League?"

"Uh…they…ahh…"

And he was out! Just great! Now what?

That was the second that the ship dipped sideways, and water came rushing into the room via the hallway, quickly filling up the open space beneath the platforms. Batman in the armor was easily 110kg at the least, there was no way he was going to be able to get the Dark Knight-

A sudden whooshing of water made the level rise to the eight-year-old's knees. With a gasp he submerged his arms under the water to raise Batman's head up to keep him from drowning. Another whoosh echoed out from the hallway and Dick knew he was in a no-win situation. So with some hidden strength he pulled his guardian onto his back as best he could. Sure, it was only about a third of the guy but he had little choice-AGAIN! Why was this night fraught with so many no-win situations? So, slowly but surprisingly steadily, the boy was able to pull Batman along as he waded his way through the water and out into the hallway.

Unfortunately, out there the water wasn't pulling it was rushing and the current almost took the little acrobat off of his feet. OK, now what? Hm, he was saying that a lot tonight.

The water had to be coming from somewhere, maybe there was a hole in the ship? If that was the case than swimming against the water would assure him a way out! Unfortunately that also meant fighting the current with an extra 110kg person he had to hold on to. Plus there was the fact that they would be, under water.

Well, what did he have? The makeshift grappling hook. OK, take a knife, saw through the wire rope, toss the bent piece of steel down the water way (it was useless at the moment anyways), sit his guardian against the wall, take the rope and thank goodness he was flexible. He'd wonder later at how he managed to get Batman tied to his back. Now the water was at his waist! He turned only to check that Batman was still alive and to slip the second oxygen mask over his face before Dick replaced his own mask and dove into the current.

Swimming limbs don't fail him now!

Sure it would of much easier to ride the current but if it was going down then there was no guarantee of an exit. The only exits he knew of were one of the pipes he was sucked in through and those tunnels on the land-level. If that said land-level wasn't underwater by now that was. His best hope was finding where he came in.

Whoops!

If this current of the apparently sinking ship did not kill him first! Oh what a day! He'd had crazy training routines before but he was only of half of a mind how he had actually made it through most of this little adventure. In the back of his mind he did worry though. He had tied the wired rope as efficiently as he could. Haly's circus had been on boats before when they went back and forth for their European and American tours and he had met plenty of sailors that showed him a bunch of knots. He just hoped they were as strong as he had been told because he didn't want to lose Batman half way there and have to go back. Which, he would do but he would prefer not to repeat even this little part of the journey again. He was also worried about the breathing masks, they seemed to have a good air supply but much longer would that last?

And now that he couldn't do much but struggle against the current and Batman's weight, he wondered. Where was the Justice League?

* * *

Above the pier of Gotham Bay spectators, despite the GCPD's attempts, many of the city's population had gathered to watch the sinking/floating ship. Well, perhaps one could call the true movement 'dipping' for it would rise a few feet only to plunder back down even deeper beneath the water some ten minutes later. The good news was that the cannons had been retracted but no one with a boat was stupid/brave enough to even get close to the thing. Strangely though a low helicopter of black was hovering just over the Righteous Incorporated debris dump that was famous for the billionaire sleaze-ball that had his company dump their waste products there, and it seemed to be waiting for something. It didn't appear alien so Commissioner Gordon had stopped the squads from firing on it. Citizens below decided it was just a popular news crew breaking the police law about approaching the thing in question. Though they marveled at what crew could've obtained one.

Inside though, two sets of masked eyes were waiting worryingly.

"I'd still like to know how you got this helicopter Agent A."

The black clothed butler shrugged, "Borrowed it."

"A Sikorsky, from where?"

"There are still figures moving atop the UFO, approaching it may not be wise."

"No, really?"

* * *

If the binoculars the two were using would have been of higher grade they would have seen that the figures atop the UFO were the remaining members of the Justice League sans Batman. In their favor something had gone wrong and the machine keeping Martian Manhunter unconscious snapped out of working order, allowing him to escape and to free the others. They had been brought to the top of the floating alien compound when they were all free and enjoyed punching the aliens around.

They also realized very quickly that some of the extra-terrestrials were…sick or they looked sick as they were running around crazily and even smacking head first into one another effectively and efficiently knocking one another out as well. The ones that were…sober for lack of a better term in Superman's mind were easy enough to knock out. That's when the ship decided to give it's all though and shot strait up towards the sky meanwhile knocking the Justice League into the air and making them chase after it in response for they thought their friend was still on board.

Fortunately for one little eight-year-old boy, he exited the ship, still thankfully with his guardian attached, through a water stream that dumped the duo into the bay halfway to the pier.

Oh thank goodness! The boy thought, though he realized that both he and Batman had lost their breathing masks when they had hit the water. Oh well, it was only about 80 meters, he could keep Batman's head up that long. Or at least, he hoped he could.

On the other hand he was worried about the Justice League, had they still been in the ship? Well, even if they were there wasn't any way he was going to get to it now unless he found a very big cannon conveniently sitting on the edge of the pier.

He had made it half way before he allowed himself a breath and a quick few seconds of rest to reach back and readjust Batman's head. True, there was no current but now he was tired and Batman had so much armor that it was in danger of pulling them both down! But still, he wasn't going to cut the ropes and leave him here. Bruce could have just as easily left him with Zucco but he didn't. Didn't he owe the man the same in return? Of course, Zucco wasn't a population of drunken aliens with a killer battleship but Dick assumed the concept was still kind of the same.

At twenty meters he realized that the pier was overloaded with the police and the citizens of Gotham. Where were Alfred –oh he meant Agent A and Doctor L? The two were nowhere in sight. It was too late anyways because he had already been spotted. Bad news, they were probably thinking he was one of those aliens off of that ship. So he had to shout.

"Commissioner! Commissioner Gordon!"

When he reached the 15 meter line he held his breath. The Commissioner and Batman were friends from what he had gathered. If he had any hope of getting away with his guardian he had to rely on the Commissioner to get them away from the crowd. He had little choice, there was nowhere else to paddle and even if adrenaline had kept him from feeling much during this adventure, he was extremely tired and Batman UGH! Needed to lose some weight!

Also at 15 meters the Police Commissioner gasped as he was finally able to make out a form as small as a child pulling along a very big, familiar second form.

"Batman?"

But the man was clearly unconscious and somehow being towed around on the back of…was that actually a little boy? Well, boy or not his friend was unconscious…in the water! Not good!

"Men, holster your weapons!"

James Gordon holstered his in a proverbial flash and glanced around finding a coil of rope nearby. He scooped it up and threw it the last 15 meters of open water space between the duo in the water and the pier where he was standing. A green gloved hand lashed out and grabbed a hold of it with strength the middle aged James Gordon could hardly believe came from the tiny form.

"Men, help pull them in!"

In the water Dick breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, he was so…tired...but he glanced back at Batman.

"Forgive me," he whispered.

He knew Batman didn't like large crowds. Not being seen by many was the reason he was viewed as a threat but here he would be, lying on the Gotham Pier, unconscious in front of most of the population of Gotham City! But again, no-win situation!

"Holy, you are a kid! Here, take my hand!"

Dick thought about shaking his head and demanding they take Batman first but then he remembered that they were kind of attached so it didn't really matter in that regard. He glanced up into a pair of eyes behind a pair of slightly scratched glasses but he saw nothing but the urge to help in them so he took the proffered hand and was pulled up out of the water of Gotham Bay and onto the pier where upon he reached for the knife he had all but ruined tonight to cut the wired rope that was keeping his guardian tied to him. Five quick slices echoed as the Commissioner reached out to roll Batman off of his back and onto the wood of the pier while he commanded his police officers to hold the crowd back as well. They were actually doing a pretty good job at it.

"Kid?"

James Gordon had a hand on his already bruised shoulder-ouch! The hand flew back when Dick hissed. Thankfully the pull of his face muscles at the hiss reassured him that his mask hiding his identity was still on. Thank goodness he hadn't screwed that up. How had this adventure started again?

"Kid?"

Just give him a minute to get his breath back…AGAIN!

"Commish? The bat ain't breathing," one of the officers said.

Dick got some kind of mystical third wind in his lungs. It was the only explanation as he kind of stretched over and collapsed on Batman's side. He wasn't breathing at all. No! No! NO! Not now! Not after all of that was this happening! No way!

He balled a fist and brought it down on the Bat's diaphragm. Later he would ask an adult how that worked for in response Batman shot up and turned his face to the side to cough up and out the small amount of water that had entered his lungs. He was still far from completely conscious though and his vision was very blurry. He did see a big red blob above him and two smaller green blobs reaching out for him, and then his head and shoulders were resting on something.

"Batman? Batman!"

That wasn't Superman being annoying again that was…

Back in the clearer world Dick had pulled his guardian's head and shoulders up onto his lap, letting the man try to get his head strait and lungs clean of nasty Gotham Bay water. It wasn't the cleanest and they had both probably taken in a fair amount.

"Kid?" the Commissioner asked again.

Dick shook Batman's shoulders, "Batman, focus! Wake up! It's me…"

Uh oh. Um, he didn't have a code name. Um, his masked eyes looked to the people flocking around him and then down at his uniform. Wait his mom had said…

"Robin. Batman! It's me, Robin. Wake up!"

"What's going on here?"

The new voice startled the crowd and they looked up to see Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, who had created a platform for a gaping jaw Flash, an eye-bone raised Martian Manhunter, and very confused looking Hawkgirl.

Oh crap! He thought he was in trouble before!

"Um, I uh…"

That's when the helicopter sped through the Justice League over the water, released a rope later and whisked the Gotham Duo away.

"Huh? What?" Batman muttered as his ears picked up the sound of moving air around him.

Uh! So now he chooses to come around? Perfect! Dick glanced up at the side door where said door was swinging open.

"Are you two OK!?"

"Leslie?" Batman rasped.

"Pull us up Doctor L!"

"Doctor L?"

So Alfred must have been piloting the helicopter, though Dick wondered where they had gotten it. He decided to dismiss the wonder though in favor of handing Batman up to Doctor L. Finally somewhere safe and secure.

Ow…funny now he had to collapse?

"Dick!" he heard Doctor L shout.

"Robin," he muttered, his lithe 21.5 kg body fading from his senses as he came to know the floor of the helicopter quite intimately.

* * *

"I will castrate both of them!" Leslie muttered as she wrapped a roll of bandages around the bicep of the man that was currently lying on a medical bed in the Batcave.

Alfred had heard the mutter as he had just descended the stairs with a pitcher of coffee.

"Black. I need it black today Alfred."

"Of course Dr. Thompkins, I believe the same is true for me."

"You can call me Leslie you know?"

"It would not be professional."

He got a 'look' for that comment.

"Alas if it is your wish I shall endeavor to do so, Leslie."

The first smile either had cracked in the past few hours stole its way over the doctor's face. Apparently contagious, it made a small trip to the butler's. True both had removed their masks but their uniforms had been efficient enough for caring for the two foolish boys so they remained, all except for the light blue gloves Leslie had exchanged in favor of latex for treating Bruce's wounds. Alfred had seen to Dick and after a hot bath, which the boy had remained passed out for, the butler had tucked him into his bed.

"The boy, he was nearly blue from the cold of the Bay water," Alfred mentioned, his frown returning at the thought of the child.

"As I said I will castrate them both!" Leslie said with a glare at the unconscious man in front of her hoping her glare was going beyond the fabric of conscious/semi-conscious planes enough to burn a hole into the man's brain.

"Until then," Alfred said, raising his cup.

* * *

**A/N:** And there goes my muse again! Come back! I need you!

Drop a review or an idea or two? Please?

~Moonsetta


	4. Down On the Farm

**Title: **Down On the Farm

**Author:** Moonsetta

**Date:** Saturday, November 30, 2013 to Sunday, December 1, 2013

**Summary:** Inside the farmhouse on the Kent Family farm, parents compare notes. Outside, Batman marvels at how he's going to get all of the hay out of Robin's hair.

**A/N:** This is the note and a shout out to Glimare for the idea! Thank you! Admittedly, I feel I could have done so much better on this but UGH! My muse-it's running away! ARG! Get back here muse!

* * *

"Now Jonathan was that necessary?" Martha Kent asked as she sat at the kitchen table with her husband and two guests, all discussing the day over coffee and tea.

The farm man held up his coffee in amusement, a twinkle in his eyes before he shrugged, "First time we've had a kid here since Clark was little. Besides he had so much fun."

"I see a very long bath in his future though," one of their guests spoke.

Martha smiled before scanning the two guests sitting across from the married farm couple. A domino masked man dressed in all black was looking at the scene through the screen door in the living room with very well hidden amusement no one under 50 could have seen through. The woman though, a doctor with eyes hidden by a masquerade mask, was chuckling under her breath.

"I believe your boy is finally embracing the parental prerogative," Jonathan Kent mentioned to the masked duo.

The recently introduced Doctor L quieted her chuckling before speaking, "I think our boy's just freaking out about how Agent A's going to react."

"Please," the dubbed Agent A spoke lowly, "I am not that scary and I would not begrudge him the…joy…of attempting to wash a child as stubborn as he is."

Martha and Jonathan met each other's gaze before laughing, the kind woman getting to her feet to take a few steps towards the far wall and open the window so the group could hear the conversation outside.

* * *

"It was the best day EVER! Mr. Kent showed me the cows and the chickens and the pigs and they have horses like we did at the circus! Except you have to ride them with a saddle and all and I tried to show them some trick riding that I learned from the Miter Twins when I was seven …"

The boy was running circles around him.

Literally.

"…but when I tried Mrs. Kent yelled and said I nearly gave her a heart attack! I didn't want to do that, she makes great pie! The best! I think she and Alfred should work on one together and enter a pie contest. They'd win for sure! Then Mr. Kent showed me how to milk the cow and we tried to clean the pigs but they just jumped back in the mud and I tried to stop them!"

"So that's why you're covered in mud?" Batman said with a bored voice.

He had said that Superman wasn't allowed to take Robin with him anymore and since Agent A and Doctor L had assured him that the elder Kents would take care of Clark he thought, who else better to leave the kid with? It would have to be as Robin-but still. Besides, learning about farming, though unnecessary in the world they lived in, wouldn't hurt and it would help the boy understand where some of the world's resources came from. It was a learning experience, the ultimate field trip. Now, he was regretting it.

And ugh! What was Alfred going to say when he saw this?

Also, how did letting the boy run around a farm from 10:00am until sunset make him more hyper than when he had left him there?

"Yeah, I had to help the pigs but they ended up getting dirty again but Mr. Kent said that always happens anyways so it was OK. Then he showed me how to milk the cows and we had to sneak around the chickens to get their eggs. Then he let me help drive the tractor, it's much bulkier than the Batmobile but still cool because it can bale hay. There was this huge stack of hay in the barn and I got to swing and jump from this rope hanging from the barn ceiling and into all the hay! Then Mrs. Kent made me come in at noon for some cookies and milk. They were nice chocolate chip cookies, though I still think Alfred makes the best ever. The milk was really good; do you know store milk is horribly watery? And real eggs are brown? Are store eggs pale because they're sick? "

Thankfully he did have a solution to the running around. Batman held his right arm strait out parallel to the ground. In less than a breath, a little acrobat was using it as a chin up bar.

"So how was your day?"

"Boring but progressive."

"Did you find Salio Reveli?"

"Yes, Gordon and the GCPD have him in custody now."

"Good."

The boy tilted his chined-up head diagonally though, "Didn't anything exciting happen today?"

Behind the cowl Bruce Wayne thought back and suddenly smiled.

"As a matter of fact yes, something exciting did happen today."

"Really?" the little acrobat shouted before swinging back and forth and flinging himself up into the air.

Batman turned; still a bit surprised at his boy's random battles with gravity he liked to start out of nowhere and reached out so Robin would land safely in his arms. The little one did but immediately reached out towards his shoulder, pulled up the excess cloth of his cape and wrapped it around his body and over his head that made him look like a little dark ghost.

"Flash had to get his tonsils taken out," the Dark Knight said as a distraction.

"So you were happy he couldn't talk?" Robin guessed, reaching through the folds of the dark blue/black cloth to pull the cloth hiding his head back enough to expose his face.

Hmm, his mask was a little crooked but it appeared that it might have been the dark cape that caused that because Robin reached for it immediately and straitened it up.

"Maybe," Batman said with a shrug.

The boy yawned and the man surprisingly found that he didn't really care that the mud, hay, dust and dirt was getting rubbed into his own uniform. Especially if it meant that Robin could potentially rest with a nap at the moment. In just a second the little acrobat had his head against his mentor's shoulder that made the Dark Knight immediately wrap the boy up in his arms, both curling around the boy while promising him everything in the world. OK, kill him for smiling! It was too cute! Besides, Robin had been nothing but ideal the whole week and even if he was dirty he had been on the farm all day so it was understandable. Sure, Batman could already hear the lecture from Alf-well Agent A about cleanliness and even one from Doctor L about properly cleaning/treating any scratches and/or bruises the boy had gotten. They were waiting on the duo's return anyways.

He wasn't looking forward to any of that but he would be looking forward to putting the boy to bed.

Footsteps from within the house made the Dark Knight look up away from his boy to see Martha and Jonathan Kent there. The woman looked ready to pull out a camera and take pictures. They smiled in some form of understanding before Martha made her way across the porch, down the two steps and onto the trail that lead towards their dirt driveway.

"Nice to see the boy's finally calmed down," she said softly, smiling at the bit of onyx hair that was peeking out from below the bit of Batman's cape that was wrapped over his head.

"He's been like this all day?"

Martha pursed her lips together in thought, "I believe so."

"Not true Martha, he did calm down around noon…before the cookies anyways," Jonathan said, coming up behind his wife to take her hand in his.

"But it was too cute and he had a milk mustache afterwards."

Batman smirked. Ha! His kid was cute! Though, he wondered why that filled him with pride. Either way, it was time to thank them and start their way back to Gotham. It would be fast as opposed to the time it would take in a normal car but they would be home in bed by midnight thanks to the capabilities of the Bat-Jet and it would be a smoother ride than the Batmobile anyways.

Now, he didn't WANT to wake the boy up but Agent A would be at their throats if they were rude to the Kents. Apparently he had been keeping in contact with them ever since he and Doctor L had made their disappointment in Superman clear.

"Robin?" Batman said softly, unwrapping one arm from the boy to nudge the little one's shoulder.

The boy hadn't completely fallen asleep, but apparently his jaunt earlier had been a last burst of energy from the day.

"Come on. Don't be rude. You need to thank Mr. and Mrs. Kent."

Robin nodded, raised his head stretched his little arms up and out with the cape still covering them and then turned to the elderly couple, "Thank you for having me as your guest Mr. and Mrs. Kent. I had a great time. I hope I can come back?"

"Oh, anytime kid. If you ever want to get out of the city you just give us a call," Jonathan said with a smile and salute that the boy cutely copied and returned.

"Yes Sir!"

"Thank you for having Robin over for the day," Batman said with a nod.

The elders decided that it was the most they were going to get so they nodded back with a unified, "You're welcome."

"Come on Robin, let's go home."

Another yawn escaped the boy's lips before Robin snuggled into the dark cloth around him and finally fell asleep.

* * *

Inside the house, two pairs of eyes were watching with smirks as the bat-shaped jet vanished into the distance.

"You two need a ride anywhere?" Jonathan asked from beyond the screen door.

Said screen door opened as the masked duo finally exited the house smiling that their boy had been unaware that they had heard everything.

"No need Mr. Kent, we have a ride waiting for us up the road," Doctor L said, reaching out to shake hands with the Kents.

Agent A copied her before gesturing to the open road, "Come, we must be there to welcome them home."

Behind the masquerade mask, Leslie rolled her eyes, "You have too much fun scaring people, Agent A."

The black clothed Agent just shrugged as the two began their walk away from the farm. Later, Doctor L would ask where Agent A had secured a supersonic jet and how he had managed to hide it behind an old abandoned barn.

"_Seriously, where did you get this? Not even Batman has one of these."_

"_I know a man."_

"_Of course."_

* * *

"I calculate that there is an 85% chance you're about to give me an earful," Batman muttered as Alfred looked upon the boy in the Dark Knight's arms.

Robin had responded to the movement when the Dynamic Duo had exited the jet and was now rubbing a hand across his masked face. The small balled fist was still stubbornly curled into the dark cloth of Batman's cape. It was cute…he had to smile.

"Hello Alfred."

Yes, he had exchanged the dark clothing for his normal dark suit to perform his duties as the Wayne family butler and for right now he was fighting back a smile at the boy while raising a questioning eyebrow at the man before him. He ignored the comment from his lifetime charge and turned his attention to the Boy Wonder.

"Did you have a good time with Mr. and Mrs. Kent Master Dick?"

"Mm hm, I'd tell you all about it but I'm really tired."

Alfred smirked, "I dare say you should be. Mrs. Kent called and said you were quite a bundle of energy today. Come, time for a bath and then to get to bed. Master Bruce will be up to help you shortly."

"What?"

"OK," Robin said, reaching up to pull away his mask so his eyes could be seen by the others.

"Alfred!" a voice called from up the stairs.

"Hi Leslie!" Dick shouted while trying to get untangled from Batman's cape.

"Just a moment, Leslie!" Alfred called up in response.

"Wait a minute-Alfred? Since when do you call her Leslie?" Bruce asked, completely forgetting for a moment that he was still in his cape and cowl.

A smile curtained itself over the butler's face but he said not one word before turning and ascending the steps to help the lady.

"Bruce?"

The man reached up to pull back his cowl while blinking away his shock at the scene, before angling his head down towards the boy in his arms.

"Hm?"

"Does Alfred like Leslie?"

"I…don't know."

"Bruce?"

The man held back a sigh, "Yes Dick?"

"I think Alfred likes Leslie. Are they going to have a big wedding?"

This time a sigh did escape Bruce's mouth, "Hold on Dick, their relationship is their business, you shouldn't bother them about it."

A frown marred the little face but an assured nod followed, "OK…Bruce?"

Hold back the twitch, "What?"

"Where do babies come from?"

Oh no!

"Please, any question but that!"

"Ooookkkkkkk. Why do they call them Animal Crackers when they taste like cookies?"

Ah! This one he could answer!

"Well you see-"

"Master Bruce if that child is not being bathed in five minutes I will find my wooden spoon!"

YIKES!

* * *

A/N: Why do I feel like every time I type something up it gets worse and worse?

Anyways, drop a review please! Or a suggestion or two? Man, I need much more practice!

~Moonsetta


	5. Little Questions

**Title: **Little Questions

**Author: **Moonsetta

**Date: **January 2, 2014

**Summary: **I can't think of a summary right now just read the darn thing! …if you want…

**A/N: **Happy New Year's people! COME BACK MUSE!

* * *

There was trouble. No there was no death or major injury to call them to arms but they had already made the decision when Bruce had informed them the week before that he would be taking Robin to 'officially' meet the League. The others could make real rounded criticisms after meeting him instead of their foolish prejudice judgments based on ridiculous rumors and suspicion.

Typically the Boy Wonder had been ecstatic at the possibility of meeting his mentor's 'friends' though Bruce hadn't bothered to cover the snort he let out in response.

The meeting was scheduled for Friday night from 6:00pm to 7:00pm-which Alfred approved of given the boy wouldn't have school for the next few days.

Sure Alfred Pennyworth and Leslie Thompkins had shared and talked through their worries. From what they had heard over the JLA commlink when their 'son' was talking with his 'friends' there wasn't much favor towards the young lad. They had both promptly decided to make a surprise visit to the Watchtower during the event. They wouldn't invade the meeting room itself but would linger in the transporter room to wait for their charges. There was a high chance that this wouldn't all turn out well but they didn't voice any thoughts as the boy was so excited. Who knows? Maybe everything would be alright?

Batman and Robin departed at 5:45pm Friday evening, leaving just enough time for Alfred to lay out the seasonings he'd need for the evening roast before Leslie's arrival. The two shared a quick cup of coffee before descending to the Batcave beneath Wayne Manor. Given they had been using their alternate identities more often as of late Alfred had sanctioned two hidden rooms off of the side of a back tunnel for the elderly duo's use.

Suited up and fully prepared for arguments and protests was how they arrived at the Watchtower. The transporter room was empty though and that made them look at one another with worry. Usually there was someone at least _monitoring _the transporters in case some possible enemy came through.

"Perhaps we should-" the now disguised Agent A said motioning to the door that lead into the internal hallways of the space satellite.

"Yes, I think we should," Doctor L replied in kind, her masked eyes narrowing as she took the lead.

Agent A did not argue because you did not argue with a woman, especially a determined woman…who inadvertently had many _needles _with her that she knew how to use quite efficiently. Though in this situation whether the fact she was a doctor was her profession or an excuse, well that could be debated. Alas, he was not up for the debate in question.

Their first glances into the small cafeteria, labs and recreation rooms worried them more as no one seemed to be at the Watchtower, yet they hadn't received any news that Batman and Robin had teleported into the midst of some sort of trouble. Where was everyone? It wasn't until they reached the Meeting Room (which was consequently the largest room on the satellite) that they got a clue that their earlier worries hadn't been unfounded in the slightest.

"-you think you're doing!"

"He's just a boy!"

"Shut up! If you had any idea-!"

"-Don't give us that shit!"

"I don't have to take this!"

"You're part of this team!"

"I agreed to help! Not be part of this 'team' you're talking about!"

"He's practically a damn infant!"

"He just turned 8!"

"Wait, so you had him on the fucking streets at 7!"

"It's none of your business!"

"It is Batman! It was the moment you gave him that damn mask!"

"Oh Almighty above something or someone assure me that the boy is not in there in the midst of that," Agent A whispered harshly.

Apparently the doors and/or walls were very well insulated and secured (at least one way) because the elderly duo hadn't been noticed by anyone from within. Unfortunately, unlike the professional hidden moods of the disguised Wayne butler, Doctor L looked ready to knock down the door and infect everyone in the room with the measles. Though Agent A's hand was twitching with the urge to find some bars of soap and wash out the mouths of everyone who let a vile word or curse pass their lips.

_Click!_

The noticeable sound made the duo sharply turn their heads down towards the other end of the hallway. At the very back a black haired head was poking out of another door and was staring at them in a form of curiosity or slight trepidation.

"Robin," Doctor L breathed before abandoning her urge to break down the door in favor of traversing the remainder of the hallway.

Agent A was quick to follow her, though by the time he had reached the Doctor and Boy Wonder she had already snatched him up into a hug.

"Doctor L, what's wrong?" Robin breathed harshly as he was squeezed tightly.

The boy actually had a small book closed in his right hand Agent A noticed as he took the moment where he couldn't do anything to glance around the room and take in the structure of the small library.

"Oh little one," Doctor L breathed as she finally sat him back down and patted his head.

The boy was undoubtedly confused as he looked back and forth between the elders before he asked again, "What's wrong?"

Agent A met Doctor L's gaze. _Batman must have left him here while he attended the meeting. Thank goodness._

Thankfully there was no need for the words to be said though it was obvious that the boy knew something was up and that a silent conversation had just occurred that he couldn't quite decipher as of yet.

"It's nothing Robin; we were just going to wait for you and Batman to be done with the meeting."

The young one reached up to slightly adjust his mask. He knew they weren't saying everything as it had been clear that the duo had been by the Meeting Room door before. They must have heard something bad.

"Batman told me to wait," the boy said with a shrug but forced a smile onto his face, "I explored some and as you can see I found the library and this book about cheesecake was on the floor."

He held up the book titled, Crescents and Harvest Wheels by Hurman Dans Lycan. (Free virtual cookie if you get the allusion.)

"Why in the world does the League have books about cheesecake up here?" Doctor L asked her arms crossed over her chest and head tilted slightly to the side in confusion.

"Is it a good read, Robin?" Agent A asked, taking the chance to finally say something to the boy.

The boy crinkled his nose with indecision, "Uh, it's OK…but it's like the man is in isolation and I think he's a bit obsessed."

"Perhaps you'd like to read something else until the meeting is over?" Agent A asked, motioning to the bookshelves on the nearby wall.

"Oh, don't be fooled Agent A, there's not much interesting here. In fact there are more magazines than books on those shelves."

"Did you get to meet any of the heroes?" Doctor L asked, finally kind of touching on the elephant in the room.

"Just Wonder Woman…sort of," Robin said before he frowned and bit his lip, "I don't think she likes me very much."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well when Batman went into the Meeting Room Wonder Woman followed him but she kept looking over her shoulder and glaring at me like I'd done something to her."

"Robin, I believe it is simply that Wonder Woman fancies Batman," Agent A explained with a smile.

"Oh like how you and Doctor L 'fancy' each other?"

It was real funny exactly how fast one's face could begin burning in embarrassment at just a few words, especially those from a child.

"Uh…Robin. We-um, well you see we…" Doctor L very easily lost her train of thought and control of her tongue.

It was 60 seconds of awkwardness before Robin tilted his head sideways in confusion before smiling as if saying: KNEW IT!

-but he also decided to rescue the duo by opening up the book in his hands to a page near the back and scanning the page to locate a line.

"Well, I'll worry about it later I guess. I have a question. I looked over the preparation and everything and to me it seems like cheesecake is really confusing. The way it's made isn't like cake at all; it's made more like pie so why don't we call it cheese-PIE?"

"Well it's very fattening," Doctor L said in a monotone voice as she was the first to regain use of her vocal chords.

…Though not necessarily her thought process.

"So is chocolate pie but there's already chocolate cake…or is this just some discrimination against cheese that they don't like it in cake. Though no wait, that's untrue. Our fortune teller Madame Vera had this weird cake she got from her sister every Christmas and it had cream cheese icing."

Agent A finally recovered, cooled the temperature of the skin on his face and righted his suddenly recognized slouched posture, "It is commonality to call anything cut into triangles cake."

"Then why don't we call it Pizza Cake? Or was everyone supposed to cut it into rectangles from the beginning? Then again, it's a circle so you couldn't get all rectangles from it and if it's supposed to be all rectangles why don't people cut all pies into rectangles?"

"Robin we-uh don't know," Doctor L said, shaking her head in confusion.

"Well, one could ask then why we place round dishes into square cabinets," Agent A added with a small smile, thanking the boy for changing the subject with a discrete deep breath.

"Hmm I see," Doctor L said, matching the smiles of the two males in the room with one of her own, "I guess I should go around asking why we build square houses on a round planet."

Robin gasped, "You're right. Hmm, I mean I guess it's the whole 'greater structure support' thing."

_BAM!_

The three jerked their heads towards the still open doorway at the sound echoing down the hallway. They all remained silent though to listen. There had been the door but nothing else. A sudden scrape let them know that another door had been opened.

"Robin?"

The boy smiled, recognizing the voice of his guardian before raising a cupped hand to the side of his mouth and calling out, "Library!"

The Dark Knight began speaking before he even reached the room, "Come on Robin I think it's-"

He stopped when he reached the doorway and found both of his parental figures within the room, both of their faces slightly flushed. He studied the two before glancing down at his protégé.

"What's going on?"

The boy shrugged, closed the book in his hands and placed it on a small table nearby. He'd always been told to put things back where he had found them but he was certain that leaving it in the center of the floor was unwise.

"Agent A and Doctor L were waiting on us to get out of the meeting. Are you all done arguing now?"

The bat's cowled face fell in something akin to despair as Doctor L's lips compressed into a tight line and Agent A's mouth curled into a frown. Also, his hands were twitching again to find some bars of soap. What other vile words had flown around in that room?

"You heard that?" Batman asked sadly with a sigh as if he already knew the inevitable answer.

The boy bit his lip again but nodded minutely, "Sorry that I left the TV room. When I heard them start yelling I didn't want to be around. Are you angry?"

"No. I'm glad you left the room. I'll have to see about some sound proof proprieties for a few other rooms."

"So there are sound-proof rooms?"

"One. My room. Ugh, I should have let you stay there."

"It's OK."

"Just don't repeat anything you heard in that room!" Batman ordered his normal dark countenance firmly back in place.

The Boy Wonder gave a mock salute with a, "Yes sir!"

"So, how was the League?" Doctor L asked while her left hand unintentionally curled into a fist beneath her coat.

"Healthy."

"No sir. How was the League?" Agent A asked, his head titled slightly towards the boy.

"Do I get to meet them now?" Robin asked, though his current smile was parched compared to the one he had first worn when he had been told he could meet the League.

So he wasn't feeling too easy going about the meeting now either.

"Agent A, Doctor L why don't you two head home? This WON'T be long," Batman growled, glaring out of the doorway towards one door in particular.

"Batman-" Doctor L injected but he cut her off.

"We'll be five minutes behind you. I promise."

"Five minutes?" Robin asked, confusion blanketing his face.

"Sir..." Agent A began but quit at the look on his eldest charge's face before he nodded resolutely.

This was not going to be pretty and he already expected both of his charges to return home in rather poor moods. The boy's face tightened as if he could already feel the incoming bad feelings and had to brace himself for it ahead of time.

"Very well sir. Come Doctor L. I must see to dinner."

"I…alright."

* * *

Alfred Pennyworth knew there was trouble when he heard the rushed footsteps on the stairs from the Batcave to the Master's study and down the back hall towards the stairs.

"Dick wait!"

"Tell Alfred I'm sorry but I'm not hungry."

"Dick-"

"I'm going to bed."

More rushed footsteps this time on one of the stairways that lead up to the Manor's second floor.

Oh my!

Leslie had unfortunately already left, only of course after multiple assurances that the Wayne family butler could handle the Dynamic Duo alone. Also unfortunately, it appeared that he had been very wrong. He quickly washed his hands of the dark red pepper powder he had been prepping and quickly met Bruce Wayne at the doorway to the kitchen.

"Master Bruce what happened?"

The man looked so tired and sorrowful, "I'll tell you but…coffee?"

"Of course, sir."

Alfred kept his powerful inquiring eyes pointed away until Bruce had taken a very deep drink of the caffeine mixture. The moment the cup hit the surface of the breakfast bar though, he had walked from the north counter and claimed the seat across from the billionaire.

"What happened son?"

Bruce took another quick sip from the cup before gulping and then clearing his throat, though whether the actions were intended to calm him or to stave off the inevitable for a few more seconds was yet to be established.

"They have made their own decisions."

Alfred didn't need to request a more detailed explanation though, for Bruce continued after a two second pause to gather his thoughts.

"Diana looked like she was ready to stuff him in the garbage chute, Sheyera's furious, she nearly hit me with her mace and of all people Barry was doing most of the shouting."

"What of the others?"

"Oliver and Dinah actually left a few minutes into the meeting, completely crazed. I guess you and Leslie didn't run into them on the way out?"

"No sir, we must have arrived afterwards."

"Hal and Patrick were quiet about the whole thing. I think they were more amazed than horrified."

"And what of Mr. Kent?"

"He's in the unfortunate situation of being the head of the League. Most of them want Dick out of the costume and are leaving it up to him."

"It sounds like he's an ally in the situation."

"He is," Bruce said with a frown at his coffee before taking another long drink, "I can't believe it all lead up to so much. He's my kid! Not theirs!"

OK, he could not help the proud smirk. Bruce Wayne was getting possessive already but the sentence made him frown again a second later.

"Well sir, I agree the night has not been the most ideal but what happened with the boy specifically?"

After all if the boy was skipping dinner…

"Barry got in his face for a second."

"He what?!"

"So I threw him across the room. That's when I said we should leave."

"What else?"

"Nothing else Alfred. Tonight was just-"

"What else? Even if the League not acting favorably to him was enough to upset him it certainly wouldn't be enough to make him rush to bed this evening."

Bruce looked instantly guilty.

"Oh for goodness sake's don't tell me you agreed with any of them."

Bruce coughed a bit in surprise before narrowing his eyes, "Of course not. I wouldn't…couldn't do that to him."

"Then what is it?"

"I..I…k…t..."

"Bruce Wayne you have been taught words-use them!"

"I quit."

A gasp from the doorway had them turning to see a blur in the corner.

"Master Dick?" Alfred asked.

"I'm sorry, I was just thirsty," the quiet voice said from around the wall.

Before Alfred could say anything more though, Bruce stood up and made strait for the doorway. He was gone for a mere few seconds before there were a few quick murmurs and more retreating feet though they weren't rushing this time. Bruce reentered the kitchen with a sigh.

"He blames himself for me quitting. It's ridiculous!"

Alfred curled his right hand into a fist while frowning in thought, "Did you? Quit for him?"

"The League's being ridiculous. Besides, I've got a false social life to keep up, Wayne Enterprises to see to, fighting crime in the city, raising a kid and training him as my partner. I find I'm suddenly too busy."

Well, he guessed that was that then, even if he did have a mere 100 questions and concerns turning through his mind. He chose not to voice them. Although Alfred didn't see many good events following this one, except for maybe…dinner!

The butler got to his feet and straitened his suit, "Well I've prepared a roast for dinner, if you will fetch the young master?"

He'd drop it for now. All that meant anything at all for the remainder of the evening was seeing his charges feed and into their beds as safely and as content as possible.

"Alfred I doubt he feels like eating."

The elder smiled secretly, "Give him the option; he may remain in bed until morning or he may come downstairs for dinner…with a milkshake."

"Milkshake?" a hopeful voice said from beyond the door again.

Bruce flinched with wide eyes before he sighed and turned back to the doorway with a forced smile upon his face, "You're getting far too good at this."

Yes. For right now they would forget the League. Maybe they'd talk in the morning.

* * *

**A/N:** UGH! They're getting worse! Excuse me I have to go buy a new muse, apparently mine doesn't work anymore. :-( Next I'll try a fighting scene. I, at least, used to be good at those.

~Moonsetta


End file.
